Deontay Wilder advises 'foolish' Anthony Joshua to do this for Luis Ortiz fight

The American hopes Joshua is watching his WBC heavyweight title fight against Ortiz.

Wilder is set for the seventh defence of a world title he has held for three years.Getty Images

Deontay Wilder has urged Anthony Joshua to watch his WBC heavyweight title defence against Luis Ortiz in Brooklyn on Saturday [3 March] ahead of a much-anticipated bout between the two.

The American will make the seventh defence of his world title against Cuban Ortiz in a re-staging of their postponed fight in November.

Ortiz tested positive for two banned diuretics last year but after escaping a ban returns to the sport with a maiden global crown in his sights.

Victory for Wilder in what is the 40th bout of his professional career would keep the 32-year-old on course to face Joshua later this year.

The IBF and WBA champion takes on Joseph Parker in Cardiff on 31 March, with the New Zealander's WBO strap also on the line in the first heavyweight unification clash fight ever held in the United Kingdom.

And though the Olympic gold medallist is busy preparing for that meeting, Wilder has advised him to tune in to watch him take on Ortiz in what is the biggest test yet of his credentials.

"Of course he [Joshua] should be watching. If he isn't watching this one, he's a foolish man," he told Sky Sports.

"If he was fighting I would be watching and that's how it should work. I am sure he will be watching, though, and paying close attention to me and what I do - and that's a good thing.

"I want him to see. I want to make the biggest fight in boxing history and we have the opportunity to make one of the most amazing, historical heavyweight fights, definitely in our era but in a very, very long time in the history of boxing.

"The heavyweight division is exciting again and I am happy to see people talking about it, smiling about it, and being so excited about a division that was so dead for so long."